“Jack them, beat them, injure them, burst their heads. You know there is a whole culture of impunity in the police force in Dominica and that has to stop,” the former attorney general said.

He believes that the police have a role to play in helping Dominicans “have a sense of dignity” by respecting their rights even when they have been arrested.

“The quality of how we treat people, bespeaks the quality of our civilization,” Wiltshire suggested, adding that he hopes his civil lawsuit against the police would help make that point.

“Our people must have that sense of dignity, that sense of security, that sense that they belong, that sense that they are somebody, that sense that they have rights and nobody can just come and ride roughshod over their rights,” Wiltshire, a fiery and charismatic activist in his younger days, told DNO.

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49 Comments

lovers boy

February 19, 2012

I totally support Mr.Bernard, and I am hoping that oppressed Dominican can look at that seriously,and help put a stop to police brutality, from since this thing been going on and we need not to forget equality.

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What the police don’t understand is they are ordinary people. The people they abusing Domincans like themself for have them very low or feeding pole. The police come out from poverty just like many other Dominicans. Why they think they’re something special is beyond me. I guess if you have a gun and you’re able to take advantage of you’re something special. But everyone has a means to defend themselves these days. Guns are rampant in this country so everybody armed and dangerous. So you see the police just like its citizens. Dominica is in turmoil.

EVERY THING WHICH IS BAD MUST COME TO AN END.I KNEW A POLICE OFFICER WHO WAS PLAYING BAD BOY ,WHO WAS KILLED AND UP TO TODAY NO ONE WAS ARRESTED FOR HIS MURDER…HIS BAD BOY TIME CAME TO AN END…ANOTHER ONE FROM GRANDBAY OVER 30 YRS AGO ,A WELL KNOWN PRIEST FATHER PLAYED BAD BOY ALSO,HE WAS KILLED,HIS KILLER WAS NEVER FOUND.AS LONG AS YOU CAN ILL TREAT HUMANS BEING LIKE YOURSELF AND THINK IT IS NORMAL ,YOUR TIME WILL COME.WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.

WHO KNOWS MAYBE WILTSHIRE WAS’NT FOLLOWING THE RULES SO HE SAYING THAT HE WAS MISTREATED THE COPS WERE JUST DOING THERE JOBS THEY ARE NOT CRAZY TO JUST MEET MR. WILTSHIRE AND ARRESTED HIM. LETS JUST WAIT THE FACTS WILL COME LATER

We ñeed a police com. Who can operate independently. Like Oliver Phillip(ex com.of dpf)who would lead by his convictions and not that of others.A police force can only be effective if it is free politically. That being said there are a lot of good cops who truly are dedicated to their jobs.

i understand what Mr. Wilshire is saying about the treatment that the police give to people i have naver been there hope i never will, but i herd the police do violate the right of people when they are in their care.and that should stop

The police also only apply the law selectively, sometimes according to if you can pay them. if money talks they will happily invent a ficticious crime and lock your enemies up. The chief will not ignore your complaints, but victimisation and harrassment by the police on the complainant follows-my expwerience. we all know that is part of DA everyday life

Anyone guilty of peddling our sovereignty must pay the penalty. I am getting the feeling that the police decision to prosecute Wiltshire is based on the testimony of the government workers who were arrested in the birth certificate scam. I also under the impression that Mr Wiltshire is accused of partaking in a few transactions. The obvious question then is- what about the forty something cases that was reported?

Now alone you have to say what the police s doing is wrong? When you were there you never paid any attention to it. Now that it has affected you, this the only time that you can speak of it.You were attorney General for Christ sake!!!! You did nothing!!!! I am very glad that you got a dose of the substandard conditions. Roaches should have walked all over you!!!!Hope that you get and eye, and skin infection as other people have.

My biggest problem with the police and the reason why i am so mad with them is that the police force is now a POLITICAL FORCE. They do not serve the public, but they serve one man.It is part of the spoil that has pervaded Dominica, and the stench has permeated through the entire nation.. No wonder the public do not cooperate with these guys.!

The policemen and women of Dominica seem to forget somethings after their training ends and real work begins. – They are paid by the taxpayers of this country -they are paid to protect NOT victimize or brutalize persons -They themselves are human beings and go shopping, partying, church, school runs, hospital patients, passengers on a bus. And some of them do have buses on the road carrying some of those same people they brutalize. They have to retire one day. While upholding the law they should never forget that once out of the uniform they are just as much one of us. And citizens who are not police men/women can make arrests. So when they are doing some of the things that they are doing to persons in their custody they must remember those things…. They need us just as much as we need them and if they are wrong then they will have to face the consequences of their actions too… I just saying.

Police brutality? Go and ask de deejay..AA ( also known as groovy bat) about police brutality..he will tell u, been dere done dat. Now he is the biggest patriot and a concerned citizen….we should not forget dem so…

Wiltshire, Please don’t deviate from the issue here. It’s not police brutality here. This can be discussed later. Lets discuss your involvement in the passport scam. The role you played and the real reason why you were arrested and now before the court. Whether you intentionally broke the law or not you did it. The Court will decide your fate. You know the police did nothing wrong. It’s their responsibility to investigate such incidents and where there is evidence of wrong doing to prefer charges. The DPP must have directed the police in such a case. Lets here what he has to say. The police isn’t in the wrong here.

Grooveybat johnny comelately activist that’s so true.However why not or better said you forgot the DPP and his days hunting dreads in the hills.Ask Mal. Sogofly all of them is one comess.politician expolice turn whatever.Too much in DA.

Wiltshire should talk about what he did how the policemen brutalize him sometimes he resisted arrest that is what he should talk about and by the way please Mr. Wiltshire donot lie tell the true because some of us can find out what happen remember that

Mr. Wiltshire is right, the police in Dominica, are brutal, and some humans are treated like animals, even some animals are treated better. When you have an emergency they never appear, but tell them you have a dead body or some drugs, see how fast they come….

A set of idiots being trained, with no brains, no common sense, and no passion for humans.

YES WE ALL KNOW OF MANY CASES OF POLICE BRUTALITY AND WE ALL ARE AWARE THAT SOME POLICE OFFICDR, PRODUCTS OF OUR SOCIETY HAVE COMMITTED WRONGFUL ACTS WHILE BEING POLICE OFFICERS. THAT IS NOT THE GENERAL CASE IN RELATION TO THE POLICE FORCE. MR WILTSHIRE IS NOW SEEKING PUBLIC SYMPATHY FOR HIS ISSUE AND LETS WISH HIM WELL. HOW CAN THE POLUICE BEAT ANYONE IN THE CELLS IN ROASEU POLICE STATION BURTS THEIR HEAD ETC AND NOBODY HEARS OR KNOWS. DO WE KNOW HOW CLOSE TO THE ROAD THE POLICE CELLS ARE? OF COURSE SOME REBELS AND HARD CORE CRIMINALS HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES HANDLED BY THE POLICE IN A WRONG WAY BUT WHAT WERE THESE PEOPLE DOING WHEN THEY WERE HANDLED BY THE POLICE? I AM NOT CONDONING POLICE BRUTALITY BUT WE SPEAK AS IF THESE CITIZENS THEMSELVES WERE LAW ABIDING. I KNOW OF AN ATTORNEY WHOSE CLIENT WAS THE VICTIM OF A SRIOUS ROBBERY AND THE TWO SUSPECTS REFUSED TO ASDMIT THE ACTS EVEN WHEN THE VICTIM ID THEM. THAT LAWYER TOLD THE POLICE INVESTIGATOR TO BEAT THE GUYS. THE POLICE WAS SHOCKED AND TOLD HIM WE DONT DO THAT TO SOLVES CRIME SIR, WE INVESIGATE. hE SADI THAT THE POLICEMAN SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE CASE AND GIVE IT TO A MORE SENIOR POLICE OFFICER. WHEN IT SUITS SOME LAWYERS THE POLICE ARE ENCOURAGED TO USE ILLEGAL FORCE ON SUSPECTS. MY ADVISE TO THE POLCIE DOT ABUSE ANYBODY TO SOOVES A CASE USE YOUR INTELLGENCE AND IF YOU HAVE NO EVIDENCE RELEASE UNTIL YOU OBTAIN THAT EVIDENCE NO MATTER WHO CALL MART SHOW IN THE MORNING. ALSO ALWAYS TAKE PUBLIC CRITICISM FOR EHAT IT IS TO GIVE A BETTER SWERVICE TO THE PEOPLE. SOME PEOPLE WILL NEVER LIKE YOUR ROLE AS THEIR FAMILIES MAY BE INVOLVED IN CRIME AND DRUGS OR SOME OF THEN MAY HAVE HAD VERY BAD EXPERIENCES WITH SOME OF YOUR MEMBERS SO THATS COOL, BUT THE MAJORITY OF LAW ABIDING CITIZENS SUPPORT YOU. YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES BUT THE FEWER MISTAKES YOU MAKE THE MORE RESPECT YOU EARN.

In defense of the police, people must learn that if you resist the police during an arrest you are going to get a serious whooping and yes it is legal. The law authorizes the police to use ” as much force as deemed necessary to effect an arrest”. Also, if you play man and try to assault an officer he is going to defend himself at all cost because a dead officer is not good for anyone. Police officers are human and can err in their judgement. Citizens must refrain from getting themselves arrested in the first place. I have never seen or heard of and officer just walking up to a citizen and beating the crap out of him because because he did not like him.

On the contrary, I have actually witnessed and arrest where the officer was the most patient regardless of the abuse and insults hurled at him. I also happened to be in court during the trial (i was the bail surety) and heard the defendant go into details of how much blows he received from the police during the arrest. Funny thing is he actually won the case because he was more convincing. Even today when I see the officer involved (now an Inspector) I cant help but remember how he was made to look like an animal for something he never did.

However, the police have absolutely NO right to beat people who have not resisted an arrest. Therefore I call on the top-brass to immediately ensure that a subject on POLICE BRUTALITY is added to the training curriculum at Morne Bruce and a series of presentations held at the various departments and out-stations to RE-EDUCATE officers. We cannot continue to brutalize our people simply because we have a badge and gun.

I think that alot of the people who become police officers are bullies…they get pleasure from pushing a person around …and when its somone with a little status…..ooooh ….it’s Christmas…..I got to arrest him and shove him in the cell

The police is doing their job. The lawyer isn’t an ordinary person as he wants all to believe. he is a attorney, an officer of the court. Was he brutalized? No! He was charged for the part he played in the passport scarm. Let the wheels of justice spin for all. He will have his day in court.

Just another Police State to protect corruption. It’s a matter of time for the people to come to the realization that there’s something very wrong in the direction the country is heading. This is a classic case of victimization of a true patriot and son of the soil. Lougaoo Mem will be the first to say, I told you so.

I guess the passport saga isn’t corruption. These people sold our pasport for people that were arrested in a fourign land. For God sake when are we going to by pass politics and look at the real issue and problem her!

There were other instances when people were caught with Dominica’s passport. Remember Canada placed a visa restriction on us for this reason? Did the people give these chinese or whoever they were those passports too. The pressure is on them and they have two or three individuals in this ONE situtation carrying the the full load of the passport issues we are having.

This is true – beat you up(till you are hospitalized) and you are not given the opportunity to call anyone and when family calls for information about you – seems like they are hiding you with police swearing at people on the phone – and release you and not charge you. My experience with my family.

FRIEND IF YOU KNOW OF ANY CASE WHERE ONE WAS BRUTALIZED BY THE POLICE REPORT TO THEIR CHIEF TO HAVE THAT KIND OF NONSENSE STOPPED. WE CANNOT SOLVE IT IN THIS FORUM. AT LEAST MAKE AN ANONYMOUS CALL TO THE CHIEF AND HE WILL TAKE IT FROM THERE.ANYWAYS WE KNOW OF GUYS WHO JUST HAVE TO RESIST THE POLICE WHEN THEY ARE BEING ARRESTED AND WHEN THEY GET SOMETHING ITS BRUTALITY. IF YOU COPMMIT AN OFFENCE YOU KNOW THE POLICE WILL COME LOOKING FOR YOU GO TO THE POLICE WITH YOUR LAWYER OR WHEN THEY EVENTUALLY FIND YOU GO PEACEFULLY, SOME OF US WANT TO SHOW OUR STRONG WE ARE AND WHEN THE POLICE LAND ON US WE SHOUTING BRUTLAITY LIKE WE DID NOTHING. JUST SAYING.

What are you talking about? It is common police practice in Dominica to beat up people in the police cells. Some go as far as threatening to slap people on the streets. I know, it was just done to one of my friends in Possie.

If and when you find yourself in this situation you will see what I am talkiing about. The police officer went as far as telling a friend of his on the street that he is satisfied with the beating he gave my family. Punch him with a ring on his forehead, beat him with bat trying to break his leg. Just time that will tell.

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